Urbin Report

Friday, July 11, 2003

Sparked by a flicker of annoyance over the current Iraq = Quagmire debate, I vented in a note to some friends the other day. While I am sufficiently pleased with the hasty result (enough to pass it along here) I am also painfully aware it is a first draft and could easily be tightened up and sharpened. I hope the folks here can suggest improvements/additions. Or at least enjoy it...

A Brief Overview of Quagmires Past:

Serbia-Kossovo War: American troops still occupy area, even after the brilliant, Clinton led intervention to end ethnic cleansing succeeded in rescuing the oppressed Kossovars.

Gulf War I: Ended 1991, American troops STILL in Kuwait & Saudi Arabia!

The Cold War: lasted 40+ years, from 1945 until ended only by brave self-sacrifice of enlightened Soviet Premier, Michael Gorbachev who dismantled his nation to protect world from threat of American nuclear missiles. American troops STILL in Europe, even after collapse of opposition forces!

Vietnamese War: only war in American history which did not become a quagmire. After US recognized futility of its attempted suppression of freedom-loving Vietnamese people's army, all American troops were withdrawn.

Korean War: ended in early 1950s - American Troops STILL there!

W.W.II: ended 48 years ago, American troops still in Germany, Japan, Okinawa!

W.W.I: ended with the return of our troops when it was over over there. Failure to address long-term effects of our intervention resulted in ethnic cleansing and a second major war within two decades.

Spanish-American War: ended over a century ago. American troops occupied Philippines for over 80 years; Puerto Rico and other Hispanic peoples still occupied by American troops!

Amerindian Wars: American troops have held captured enemy combatants on "reservations" for over a century, misappropriating their wealth and looting their cultural artifacts. Racist Americans have practiced in racial profiling, addicted the victims of their oppression to drugs, and engaged in ethnic cleansing of the American West.

War Between The States: Northern troops invaded and occupied the South, overthrowing the peaceful agrarian local governments and imposing foreign rule on the inhabitants.

War of Independence: An elite cabal of European white male rebels seized power from the British government and have yet to return power to the working classes.

Britain's record is far worse. The British have occupied Scotland and Ireland for several centuries now, only recently allowing a beginning of self-rule. The British were stuck in the India quagmire for over two centuries.

In Britain itself, Norman troops who arrived in 1066 have been unable to leave. Saxon troops who arrived in the time of the sixth century king, Arthur Pendragon, have been unable to leave.

The Bush administration's failure to learn the lessons of History before overthrowing the democratically elected government of Iraq is proof of their arrogance. Their misleading of the British, Australian, Polish, Spanish, Italian, and middle-European nationa demonstrates the corruption of their isolationist policies.

My one fear is that left wing loonies will take this list seriously...